Shows & Tickets

COMPANY

When Company opened in 1970 it swept the Tony Awards and propelled the Broadway musical into a new era. Set in Manhattan, Company features five married couples, three single gals - and Bobby, the only eligible bachelor in the group. Through scenes and songs they celebrate and scrutinize married life and its alternatives. These hilarious, neurotic New Yorkers are ambiguous about their relationship, but the emotional impact of Sondheim's songs - such as "Being Alive," "The Ladies Who Lunch," and "Another Hundred People" - is crystal clear.

COURTNEY BALAN (Amy) has appeared in the original Broadway companies of [title of show], Cry-Baby, and In My Life. Off-Broadway: I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; I Love You Because; Rated P for Parenthood; The Extraordinary Ordinary; [title of show]; The Marvelous Wonderettes; How To Save the World; and Stars of David. Her most recent regional roles include Funny Girl (Fanny Brice) at Riverside Theatre in Florida; Into the Woods (Baker's Wife) at the Alliance in Atlanta; The Music Man (Marian) at Connecticut Repertory Theatre; Urinetown (Pennywise) at Theatre Raleigh; and A Grand Night for Singing (Alyson) at Bucks County Playhouse. Courtney is originally from New Jersey and is a graduate of the University of Michigan Musical Theatre department. She is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association. For more information please visit www.courtneybalan.wordpress.com

PAUL BINOTTO (Peter) is very glad to be back at Pittsburgh Public Theater. His Pittsburgh credits include The Public's 1776, American Radio Company of the Air with Garrison Keillor at Heinz Hall, Starlight Express at the Benedum Center, Miss Saigon with the Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Peer Gynt at the Playhouse REP, and several shows at the University of Pittsburgh a long time ago! His Broadway credits include: the original cast of Dreamgirls, the first revival of Hair, Starlight Express, King of Schnorrers, One Night Stand, and It's So Nice To Be Civilized. Off-Broadway credits include: Forever Plaid, Enter Laughing, and Ionescopade. Earlier this year Paul played Gustav Mahler in Love, Genius and a Walk in the Midtown International Theatre Festival (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play nomination). He also played a rogue FBI agent in the soon-to-be-released movie, Cold in July. Originally from Canonsburg, Paul makes his home in New York.

ELIZABETH BROADHURST (Susan) is delighted to be performing in Pittsburgh, her second home, having married into the Altman Family, natives of Brookline! New York has seen Elizabeth as Grace in Annie (Theater at Madison Square Garden) opposite Kathie Lee Gifford and Conrad John Schuck. Most recently, Elizabeth toured the country for four years with the National Tour of Mary Poppins, understudying Mary, Mrs. Banks, and Mrs. Andrew (the evil nanny), and eventually taking over for Mrs. Banks in her final years. Other touring credits include Annie, 30th Anniversary Tour (Grace) and Hair (European Tour, Jeanie U/S). Regional credits include: 1776 at The Guthrie Theater (Martha Jefferson), Two Gentlemen of Verona, the rock musical at Baltimore Center Stage (Milkmaid), and Kiss Me Kate at Gateway Playhouse (Ensemble). Elizabeth can be heard singing Grace on the Annie, 30th Anniversary Cast Recording (Time Life Records) and holds a BFA from The Boston Conservatory.

DARREN ELIKER (Larry) most recently appeared at The Public as John Dickinson in last season's production of 1776. Past PPT performances include ART (Serge), Metamorphoses (Midas), The Comedy of Errors (Antipholus of Syracuse), with appearances in Oedipus the King, The Tempest, and Broadway. Other local roles include Pittsburgh Irish & Classical's Copenhagen (Heisenberg), Hamlet (Claudius), The Seagull (Aston), The Cripple of Inishmaan (Babbybobby), The Rivals (Jack Absolute), Translations (George), and leading roles in She Stoops to Conquer and The Picture of Dorian Gray,Macbeth, All My Sons, The Grapes of Wrath, and Death of a Salesman (Starlight Productions); The Underpants and Picasso at the Lapin Agile (City Theatre); The Lion in Winter (Unseam'd Shakespeare); and Take 2 Interactive's Black Dahlia (VG-1998). He is a prolific voice-over artist with numerous awards for his work in radio advertising and a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University's drama program.

DAINA MICHELLE GRIFFITH (Jenny) is thrilled to begin the New Year back at The Public! Company marks her sixth production with PPT, having previously been seen in Circle Mirror Transformation (Theresa), Metamorpheses (Aphrodite), Amadeus (Constanze), Cabaret, and Broadway. Most recently, Daina appeared in Well at Off the Wall Theater and The Motherf**ker With the Hat with barebones productions. She's performed with theaters across the country including Kansas City Starlight, Gateway Playhouse, Human Race Theater, NYC International Fringe, and heXtc, to name a few. Locally, she's performed with Quantum Theatre, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre, The REP, Bricolage, No Name Players, Carrnivale Theatrics, Prime Stages, Pittsburgh CLO, and Pittsburgh Musical Theater. Televions: "Guidng Light," "Munhall." Film: Civilians, Love and Other Drugs, The Dark Knight Rises (Foley's wife). Daina was recently named Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's 2013 Performer of the Year.

LEE HARRINGTON (Kathy) is excited to be making her Pittsburgh Public debut in Company! Favorite credits include Merrily We Roll Along (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Marvelous Wonderettes (Stoneham Theatre), Man of La Mancha (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), Fiddler on the Roof (West Virginia Public), and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Dead Man's Cell Phone (Carnegie Mellon). Lee also has a one-woman show, Jellybean, directed by Daniel Jenkins, that she performs at the PIT in New York. Training: Carnegie Mellon University. Represented by Stewart Talent.

LARA HAYHURST (April) is thrilled to be performing with Pittsburgh Public Theater, where she was an intern and Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest participant 10 years ago! Now a New Yorker with a BFA from Pace University, some favorite credits include Kim in the National Tour of Bye Bye Birdie, Clara in The Light in the Piazza (Carbonell nomination, Best Supporting Actress), Dainty June in Gypsy and Amber in Hairspray (both at Fulton Theater), and Margot in Legally Blonde (Maine State). Locally she has been seen as Elle in Legally Blonde and Maria in The Sound of Music, both with Pittsburgh Musical Theater. LaraHayhurst.com for more!

BILLY HEPFINGER (Paul) is ecstatic to make his debut with The Public in one of his favorite musicals. A graduate of Princeton and a Pittsburgh native, Billy's local credits include Pittsburgh CLO (Plaid Tidings, Side By Side By Sondheim, A Musical Christmas Carol), Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre (Three Sisters, Ivanov), Pittsburgh Musical Theater (The Sound of Music, Hairspray), City Theater (2011 Young Playwrights Festival), the REP (Antarktikos), and Carrnivale Theatrics (Next to Normal). NYC: workshop of Tamar of the River (Prospect Theater Company).

BENJAMIN HOWES (Harry) hails from Australia where his credits include Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors, and Grease. Here in the U.S., his credits include Broadway: Scandalous, Mary Poppins, [title of show]. National Tours: Mary Poppins, Shrek the Musical. Off-Broadway: Mint Theatre Company, Vinyard, Encores!, and many regional theaters. His television credits include "Flight of the Conchords," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and a small but glamorous recurring role on "One Life to Live" as a Shakespeare-reciting drag queen, Alma Children. Full scoop at www.benjaminhowes.com. Twitter: @benjthestar

DANIEL KRELL (David) is happy to return to The Public for his 22nd appearance with the company. His performances here have encompassed contemporary works, classics, and musicals and include such favorites as Born Yesterday, As You Like It, Circle Mirror Transformation, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Metamorphoses, Amadeus, Cabaret, Oedipus the King, Much Ado About Nothing, Sweeney Todd, and most recently the acclaimed Our Town. He has played a variety of major roles with the region's professional theaters, such as City Theater, CLO, Quantum, Bricolage, Pittsburgh Irish & Classical, and The REP as well as with theaters around the country, including Clarence Brown Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory, and Gateway Playhouse among others. Mr. Krell is also a veteran of many films, commercials, industrials and voice-overs.

HANNAH SHANKMAN (Marta) is thrilled to be making her Pittsburgh Public debut! Broadway: Hair, West End: Hair, National Tours: Rent and Les Miserables. Regional: Side Show (La Jolla Playhouse), The Last Goodbye (Westside Theatre and Joe's Pub), Tommy (Berkshire Theatre Group), After the Revolution and Golden Gate (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Rent (Syracuse Stage), Pippin (ReVision Theatre). Other NYC credits: Beauty Queens (The Lark), Kaspar Hauser (The Flea), Girls in Trouble (The Flea). Film/TV: "The 85th Annual Academy Awards" Singer/Performer for the film Les Miserables.

JIM STANEK (Robert) is a Cranberry Township native who's been a working actor in New York City (but still rooting for the Pirates, Penguins, & Steelers!) for the last 20 years, living with his wife, Beth, and their three boys. He couldn't be happier to be "home" playing Bobby in his Pittsburgh Public Theater debut! He got his start at Seneca Valley, Comtra, and Pittsburgh CLO. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon, he made his Broadway debut going on (nude) for Jude Law in Indiscretions. He then played Hero (not nude), for two years in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Other Broadway: The Rivals, Little Women, Lestat, and The Story of My Life. Besides multitudes of Off-Broadway/Regional shows, commercials, and voiceovers, his TV/Film Credits include: "Law & Order", "Guiding Light," "As the World Turns," "The Good Wife," Borough of Kings, and Bella, recordings of ...Forum, Frankenstein, 3hree Musketeers, Sweet Bye and Bye, Kitty's Kisses, Lestat and songs on Out of Context and Love on a Summer Afternoon. He most recently played "Son" opposite Marlo Thomas' "Mother" in the world premiere of Clever Little Lies at George Street Playhouse. His last performance in "The 'Burgh" was Leo Bloom in Pittsburgh CLO's The Producers.

TED PAPPAS (Director and Choreographer) celebrates his 14th season as Producing Artistic Director of Pittsburgh Public Theater and his 21st year of close association with the company as a director. He has staged more than 40 productions for The Public, including the works of Euripides, Shakespeare, Schiller, Wilde, Gilbert & Sullivan, and Sondheim. Some highlights include Sophocles' Electra, Shakespeare's As You Like It, Kaufman & Ferber's The Royal Family, Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses, Kander & Ebb's Cabaret, the American premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's RolePlay, and the world premiere of Rob Zellers and Gene Collier's The Chief. His career began in New York City where he worked at Playwrights Horizons, Joseph Papp's Public Theater, John Houseman's The Acting Company, New York City Opera under the leadership of Beverly Sills, and shows on and off Broadway. His regional credits are numerous and varied and include productions for Williamstown Theatre Festival, Arena Stage in Washington DC, the Kennedy Center, the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto's Royal Alexandra, and Goodspeed Musicals. He staged a hip-hop concert hosted by Harry Belafonte which galvanized the Cannes Film Festival, directed a Las Vegas extravaganza for impresario Steve Wynn, and served as choreographer for NBC's legendary series "Saturday Night Live." He studied Shakespeare with Samuel Schoenbaum and modern drama with Eric Bentley, and holds degrees from Northwestern University and Manhattan's Hunter College. He is a past president of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, the national labor union.

STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Music and Lyrics) wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night (1954), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976), Sweeney Todd (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday in the Park With George (1984), In the Woods (1987), Assassins (1991), Passion (1994), and Road Show (2008) as well as lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959), and Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965), and additional lyrics for Candide (1973). Anthologies of his work include Side By Side By Sondheim (1976), Marry Me a Little (1981), You're Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983), Putting It Together (1993/99), and Sondheim on Sondheim (2010). He composed the scores of the films Stavisky (1974) and Reds (1981), and songs for Dick Tracy (1990), and the television production "Evening Primrose" (1966). His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: Finishing the Hat (2010) and Look, I Made a Hat (2011). In 2010 the Broadway theater formerly known as the Henry Miller's Theatre was renamed in his honor.

GEORGE FURTH (Book) was born in Chicago and graduated from Northwestern University; he did postgraduate work at Columbia University. He has worked extensively as an actor, appearing in many films, including The Best Man, Oh God!, Doctor Detroit, Young Doctors in Love, The Man With Two Brains, Cannonball Run, Hooper, Butch Cassidyand the Sundance Kid, Blazing Saddles, Shampoo, Sleeper, The New Interns, and Myra Breckinridge; he has also acted in many major television shows. In addition to Company, he has written the Broadway shows The Act, Twigs, The Supporing Cast, Merrily We Roll Along, Precious Sons, and Getting Away With Murder.

F. WADE RUSSO (Musical Director/Conductor) returns for his 12th production with Pittsburgh Public Theater. He most recently conducted Show Boat at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, FL, and received the St. Louis Critics Award (Best Conductor) for Sunday in the Park With George at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Other conducting credits: By Jeeves (Broadway), The Boyfriend (National Tour directed by Julie Andrews). Regional theater: Goodspeed Musicals, Huntington Theatre, Barrington Stage, Lyric Theater of Boston, Williamstown Theatre Festival. He has served on the faculty of the Circle in the Square Theatre School, the Julliiard School, and currently at the Boston Conservatory.

JAMES NOONE (Scenic Designer) Designs for Pittsburgh Public Theater include Thurgood, 1776,Born Yesterday, Private Lives, As You Like It,Electra, Camelot, The Royal Family, Time of My Life, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Little Foxes, Harry's Friendly Service, Metamorphoses, The Lady With All the Answers, The Odd Couple, The Comedy of Errors, This Wonderful Life, and Amadeus. Mr. Noone's Broadway credits include A Bronx Tale, Come Back Little Sheba, Match, Urban Cowboy, A Class Act, Judgement at Nuremberg, Jekyll and Hyde (Drama Desk, American Theater Wing Design Awards), The Rainmaker, Night Must Fall (Drama Desk nomination), Getting and Spending, The Sunshine Boys, The Gin Game, and Inherit the Wind. Off-Broadway credits include Fully Commited, Full Gallop, Three Tall Women, Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, The Boys in the Band, Cowgirls, Breaking Legs, The Green Heart (Lincoln Center Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons, Primary Stages, Roundabout Theatre, Atlantic Theater, Second Stage). Regional credits include Huntington Theatre Company, Goodspeed Musicals, Long Wharf, Seattle Rep, Washington Opera, Canadian Opera, Portland Opera, Geffen Playhouse, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and Cleveland Play House. Tours include Jekyll and Hyde (1999), The Belle of Amherst, The Gin Game, Deathtrap, Three Tall Women, Stieglitz Loves O'Keefe, and also The History of Sex at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and Latin Soul in Atlantic City. He is the recipient of several design awards including the Drama Desk, American Theatre Wing, two Helen Hayes, and the LA Ovation. Mr. Noone heads the Scenic Design Program at Boston University.

MARTHA BROMELMEIR (Costume Deisgner) returns to The Public where she designed 1776, Around the World in 80 Days, Harry's Friendly Service, The World Goes 'Round, The Odd Couple, The Gin Game, Sweeney Todd, and RolePlay. Other design credits: The Kennedy Center Honors, Barbara Cook Tribute 2011. Playhouse 91 - Menopause: The Musical. The Century Theatre - The Gorey Details. LaMama - God, the Devil, and the Crackhouse. Naked Angels - Saturday Mourning Cartoons, Naked Faith, and The Stand In. Primary Stages - The Joy Solution and At the Still Point. Regional: The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Bay Street Theatre, Barrington Stage, Goodspeed Musicals. Broadway: Associate Designer for A Leap of Faith, Catch Me If You Can, Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, Sweet Charity with Christina Applegate, The Producers, Cabaret and Hairspray. www.marthab.com

PHIL MONAT (Lighting Designer) has designed often for Pittsburgh Public Theater over many years, most recently Thurgood, Good People, Private Lives and Superior Donuts. Regionally, he has designed more than 450 productions at theaters around the country, including Seattle Rep, The Old Globe, Cincinnati Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Alliance, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, La Jolla Playhouse, Syracuse Stage, McCarter Theatre, Alley Theatre, Huntington Theatre, among others. Broadway designs include Sly Fox staring Richard Dreyfuss, Finian's Rainbow, and Sally Mar...and Her Escorts. Off-Broadway credits include: Woman Before a Glass (Obie Award), Adult Entertainment, Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weil, Visiting Mr. Green, Mere Mortals, The Boys in the Band, Three Tall Women, Camping With Henry & Tom (1995 Lucille Lortel Award), The World Goes Round With Kander & Ebb, Godspell, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, and Goblin Market (Drama Desk nomination). In New York he has also designed at Playwrights Horizons, Lincoln Center Theater, Circle Repertory Theatre, the New York Shakespeare Festival, Manhattan Theatre Club, the WPA Theatre, Second Stage, and the Vineyard Theatre.

LARRY SHEA (Projection Designer) is a media artist who has exhibited his experimental films and videos, interactive environments, and kinetic sculptures at national and international venues. Larry designed the projections for Thurgood at PPT and is happy to be back. He has created video and media for several of Mike Albo's monologue performances at PS122, Here Theater, and Dixon Place, all in New York. He worked with artist Julia Scher for many years on her surveillance-art installations, including "Securityworld" (Galerie Hussenot, Paris); "Wonderland" (Rosen Gallery, New York and Kargl Gallery, Vienna); and "Predictive Engineering 2" (SFMOMA). He was the Technical Director for Mary Ellen Strom and Ann Carlson's outdoor video projection and performance extravaganza, Geyserland, staged on an observation-car train trip from Bozeman to Livingston, Montana in 2003. Larry is currently Associate Professor of Video and Media Design in the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University. His work can be seen at www.lshea.org.

ZACH MOORE (Sound Designer) marks his 70th sound design here at The Public, most recently designing The Chief, True West and Our Town. Past PPT designs include the world premieres of The Chief,Harry's Friendly Service, The Glorious Ones, The Secret Letters of Jackie and Marilyn, and Paper Doll; the American premieres of The Bird Sanctuary and RolePlay (also original music); as well as 1776, Around the World in 80 Days, Red, Electra, Circle Mirror Transformation (also original music), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Metamorphoses, I Am My Own Wife, Man of La Mancha, and Tea. Other designs include Pop! (City Theatre), Sweeney Todd and Angels in America (Pitt Rep), House and Garden (Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre), Completely Hollywood (abridged) (Reduced Shakespeare Company), Falsettos (The Huntington), Paper Doll (Long Wharf Theatre), and Fully Committed (PPT, Dallas Theater Center, McCoy/Rigby Productions). Zach also operates a small music mastering studio, HDdB.

JONATHAN TUNICK (Orchestrations) is an orchestrator, musical director and composer who has won all four major show business awards: Tony (Titanic), Oscar (A Little Night Music), Emmy ("Night of 100 Stars"), and Grammy (No One Is Alone). While most closely associated with Stephen Sondheim, Mr. Tunick has orchestrated, re-orchestrated or composed for nearly 60 films and two dozens scores for television. He also has a band called The Broadway Moonlighters.

RANDY KOVITZ (Fight Director) At Pittsburgh Public Theater, Randy staged fights for True West, Private Lives, As You Like It, Superior Donuts, and The Comedy of Errors and acted in The Odd Couple. His fights have appeared on and off Broadway, at the Kennedy Center, Mark Taper Forum, Yale Rep, South Coast Rep, and many others. Highlights include the world premiere productions of Angels in America and Burn This, the Broadway production of The Kentucky Cycle, Sir Peter Hall's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and four seasons at the Tony-winning Utah Shakepeare Festival. Film credits: The Ballad of the Sad Cafe with Vanessa Redgrave and Keith Carradine, the animated feature Quest for Camelot, The Addams Family - as fencing double for Raul Julia, and Racing Daylight with David Strathairn. Randy is also an actor, with many stage, film and TV credits. Randy is currently appearing in the solo show Underneath the Lintel at 12 Peers Theater. www.12peerstheater.org.

CAROL SCHUBERG (Associate Choreographer) is thrilled to return to Pittsburgh Public Theater where she previously performed in Cabaret and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Her association with Ted Pappas began several seasons back at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre and continued with productions at the New York City Opera and Goodspeed Musicals. She choreographed Last Dance (Manhattan's York Theatre), A Celebration of Women in the Arts (Kennedy Center), the musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), and segments for "The Late Show with David Letterman." In addition, she was assistant choreographer on the film version of The Fantasticks. Carol performed on Broadway in Meet Me in St. Louis, Off-Broadway in Chess, in the national tours of Cats, The Tap Dance Kid, Barnum, Gigi and regionally in A Chorus Line (Sheila) and Bye, Bye Birdie (Rosie).

RUTH E. KRAMER (Production Stage Manager) returns to Pittsburgh Public Theater for her 17th season. Our Town, 1776, Around the World in 80 Days, The Royal Family, Amadeus, Cabaret, The Mikado, Man of La Mancha, You Can't Take It With You, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum are among her favorite, previous productions. Other credits include Off-Broadway productions of Anne of Green Gables and Tovah: Out of Her Mind, Ain't Misbehavin' and Buddy at the Riverside Theatre, several seasons at Maine State Music Theatre and Mountain Playhouse, stints at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Pioneer Theatre Company, Goodspeed-at-Chester, and the Great Lakes Theater Festival. Ms. Kramer lives in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, is an avid Geocacher, and proudly serves on the National Council of Actors' Equity Association.

MUSIC THEATER INTERNATIONAL in 1952, composer-lyricist Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, transformed a fledging business into what is now known throughout the world as "MTI." In the intervening years, Music Theatre International has become a leader in the theatrical licensing industry, specializing in Broadway, Off-Broadway and West End musicals. Since its founding in 1952, MTI has been responsible for suppling scripts and musical materials to theaters worldwide and for protecting the rights and legacy of the authors who it represents. Whether it is the newest hit from the Broadway or London stage, or a timeless classic, MTI has been a driving force in cultivating new work and extending the production life of the great American musicals such as Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables, Annie, Of Thee I Sing, Damn Yankees, The Music Man, Goodspell, Little Shop of Horrors, and the musical theater collection of composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, among others. Apart from major Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, MTI is proud to represent youth shows, revues and musicals which began life in regional theater and have since become worthy additions to the musical theater canon.